Such games change the team’s season. Tonight (Thursday) Maccabi Tel Aviv looked very bad throughout most parts of the game and was even 17 points short of 6 and a half minutes to go. But Yannis Sapropoulos’ team woke up in moments of truth and achieved a huge victory in overtime, which sent them to the state cup final – 85:87.
The one who should get the most compliments, without a doubt, is Oz Blazer (19 points). The forward instilled faith in his teammates even when the story seemed to be over, and thanks to his determination the baskets in the final quarter turned the result around.
Alongside him, Yuval Sussman and Scotty Wilbkin also stood out in Money Time and on the way, Maccabi Tel Aviv took revenge in Holon for the loss in the factory final three years ago. Now, the Yellows will have the opportunity to regain control of the trophy after four frustrating years, with Hapoel Rishon Lezion facing them on the way to the 45th trophy in history.
They scored for Hapoel Holon: Tyros Maggie 21 points, Calvin Harris 18 points, Guy Pennini 17 points, Isaiah Miles 14 points, Christopher Johnson 8 points, Maxim de Zhao 4 points, Willie Workman 3 points.
Scored for Maccabi Tel Aviv: Oz Blazer 19 points, Scotty Wilbkin 15 points, Yuval Sussman 13 points, Othello Hunter 11 points, Ante Zizitz 11 points, Elijah Bryant 10 points, John Bartholomew 5 points, Angelo Cloiaro 2 points, Sandy Cohen points.
So what did we have today? Maccabi Tel Aviv started the meeting much better and went for a quick 0:11 run. Despite this, the Purples quickly took control of the game when Maggie, Harris and Pennini kept sniping off the arc.
The team of Stefanos Dadas continued to keep as if it was the last game of her life, and on the other hand the national champion was exceptionally narcissistic. Following this, Holon opened a double-digit gap, which as mentioned reached 17 points in the last quarter. Nonetheless, it was precisely the game that looked like one big Garbage Time the Yellows began to offset the difference, and without us noticing Wilbkin balanced the score at the last minute. As a result, Holon was finally broken and Yannis’ team closed the story in the last five minutes of the match.
It should be noted that Pnini, who sewed five threes and was in fact the living spirit in the wonderful ability of Holon until the fall. But even he will eventually get the air out, and the veteran forward will try to win Cup number 12 next season.
So what’s next? The Yellows will try to continue the momentum even before the final game in April, when they will look for a fifth consecutive victory in the league on Sunday against? Holon of course. On Thursday the Yellows will return to the Euroleague after a long break and they will hope to continue the momentum in the European arena as well.
the progress of the game:
The teams started the game at a slow pace when Johnson scored a three for Holon and Žižić returned with two baskets inside the point. Yannis’ team continued to be superior when a 0:11 run set a 3:11. But the Purples did not say desperate and Maggie’s wonderful ability and Pnini’s three on the buzzer set 18:20 at the end of the first quarter.
Maggie continued to be passionate in the first minutes of the second quarter and his three brought Holon a little closer – 22:21 to Maccabi Tel Aviv. Blazer soon returned with a three-pointer but Miles and Harris narrowed the gap once again with big baskets in the distance. On the blue side Zizic ‘Continues to do whatever he pleases, when he completed 11 points with another comfortable basket in the point. Two big threes by Pnini set up an advantage for Holon – 31:36. The first half ended with a result – 35:36 in favor of the Purples of Dads.
Maccabi Tel Aviv does not want to save and it pays for it – threes by Pnini and Harris continued the trend in the game – 35:42 to Holon. Wilbkin entered the game with a first basket but Miles and Harris answered on the other side with two huge threes. Holon abuses the Blues in those minutes and another three Of Harris set – 41:56 In the last minute and a half of the quarter Yannis’ team narrowed the gap a bit and a three of Blazer and a layup of Dibertolomeo set – 61:50 to Holon.
After nearly three minutes without a basket in the last quarter, a strange self-basket by Sussman and another amazing three by Miles closed the story apparently – 50:67 to Holon. The end of the game turned into Garbage Time when the enraged Cloiaro received a technical foul. Holon took the foot off the pedal and threes by Blazer and Sussman set a double-digit gap for the Purples – 69:62. Yannis’ team showed tremendous character and shrank to a two-point gap thanks to Wilbkin’s three points. The guard then balanced the result and sent the game into overtime – 72:72.
Blazer continued to demonstrate exceptional ability in money time and basket and a foul on him turned the score – 75:72 into blue. It could be seen in the last minutes that Dadas’ team was finally broken and Maccabi Tel Aviv qualified for the cup final – 85:87 at the end.